Today the Commission is responding to the concerns expressed by citizens in a successful European Citizens’ Initiative, with a proposal to improve the transparency of scientific studies in the food safety area.
The proposal, drawing also on the Commission’s Fitness Check of the General Food Law, which dates back from 2002 and thus needs an update, will: give citizens greater access to information submitted to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) on approvals concerning the agri-food chain; provide the possibility for additional studies to be requested by the Commission and, will involve Member States’ scientists more closely in approval procedures.
First Vice-President Frans Timmermans said: “Today we are addressing citizens’ concerns, to improve transparency about decision making, to offer better access to relevant information and to ensure that trustworthy, science-based risk assessment remains at the heart of decision making in this sensitive area of food safety.”
Vytenis Andriukaitis, Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, said: “The EU’s science-based risk assessment for food safety is one of the most stringent in the world. We are now making it even stronger through clearer transparency rules and more effective risk communication throughout the process. With this reform citizens will have immediate access to scientific studies supporting applications for authorisation.”
Press release and MEMO are available.
